THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Congress state president Mullappally Ramachandran hit out at MP Shashi Tharoor on Monday over his statement that the party is leaderless and orphaned.
He said the Congress is a political party with a slew of leaders and Tharoor’s statement is unfounded. Mullappally said that since 1885, the Congress has had a galaxy of leaders at the helm of party affairs and that there has never been a leadership vacuum in the party, which holds true even now.
Speaking to Express, Mullappally said, “I don’t know in what context Tharoor has made this remark. Congress will never have a leadership crisis as we have an array of leaders, but the party leadership will decide on the president at an appropriate time.”
Sources in the Congress said the party state leadership is antagonistic to the statement made by Tharoor. A senior leader on the condition of anonymity said, “I think Tharoor has made a statement without properly dwelling on the issue plaguing the party. He is articulate and diplomatic, but politically he is found wanting on several issues and such statements will be taken in a negative sense.”
Senior Congress leader A K Antony told reporters that in the fight against Narendra Modi and his dispensation, Rahul Gandhi is necessary and the party wants his service at this juncture. He said there is no leadership crisis in the party. Leaders cutting across group affiliations have also come out against Tharoor’s statement.
Tharoor shared his sentiment as a Congressman, says Venugopal
Alappuzha: Shashi Tharoor MP shared his views as a Congressman, said KPCC general secretary K C Venugopal. But this doesn’t mean the party has become leaderless, he said.
“The Congress president has stepped down. But, the party has not been orphaned. Rahul Gandhi is involved in day-to-day affairs of the party. We have decided to convene a meeting of the CWC,” said Venugopal.